Rajni Kothari, the renowned political scientist who passed away on 19 January, is being hailed as a public intellectual who made a mark on the world stage. Yet his defining achievement was that he was equally if not better known at the grassroots of Indian political life, among those struggling to deepen and widen democracy. Kothari’s life and work demonstrated the creative potential for intellectuals, activists and people from diverse domains to collaborate in building democracy from the ground up. This is poignantly ironic at a time when the mainstream of business and politics sees much of India’s activist community as being at odds with the goal of exponential economic growth.
Challenges of Rajni Kothari’s legacy
Rajni Bakshi, Gandhi Peace Fellow, Gateway House has written an article on Rajni Kothari a political scientist who better known at the grassroots of Indian political life, among those struggling to deepen and widen democracy. This article has been republished by Livemint.